''Confidence'' () is a 1980
Hungarian film directed by
István Szabó
István Szabó (; born 18 February 1938) is a Hungarian film director, screenwriter, and opera director.
Szabó is one of the most notable Hungary, Hungarian filmmakers and one who has been best known outside the Hungarian language, Hungarian- ...
, set in the waning days of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. It chronicles the story of two resistance members who are compelled to assume the roles of husband and wife in order to evade detection by the
Nazi
Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
s, despite being married to others.
British Film Institute
/ref> The film garnered critical acclaim, earning Szabó the Silver Bear for Best Director
The Silver Bear for Best Director () is an award presented annually at the Berlin International Film Festival since 1956. It is given for the best achievement in directing and is chosen by the International Jury from the films in the Competition ...
at the 30th Berlin International Film Festival
The 30th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 18–29 February 1980. The Golden Bear was jointly awarded to '' Heartland'', directed by Richard Pearce, and '' Palermo or Wolfsburg'', directed by Werner Schroeter.
The retros ...
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...
at the 53rd Academy Awards
The 53rd Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 1980 and took place on March 31, 1981, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, beginning at 7:00 p ...
.
Plot
During the closing stages of World War II, amidst the siege of Budapest
The siege of Budapest or battle of Budapest was the 50-day-long encirclement by Soviet and Romanian forces of the Hungarian capital of Budapest, near the end of World War II. Part of the broader Budapest Offensive, the siege began when Budapes ...
, Kata (Ildikó Bánsági) is intercepted on her way home from the cinema and informed that her apartment is being searched. She learns that her daughter and husband, a member of the Hungarian resistance, have already fled to safety. With false papers under the alias Mrs. János BÃró, she seeks refuge in a suburban house alongside her "husband" (Péter Andorai), a prominent figure in the resistance movement. In their shared quarters, János treats Kata with aloofness, outlining the rules of hiding: she mustn't leave without his consent and is forbidden from divulging personal information.
As the threat of exposure looms and a mutual attraction develops, Kata and János engage in a clandestine affair. János, haunted by a past betrayal to the Gestapo
The (, ), Syllabic abbreviation, abbreviated Gestapo (), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe.
The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of F ...
by a former lover in Germany, initially resists his feelings for Kata. However, as time passes, he allows himself to love her. When Kata ventures to reunite with her real husband, she grapples with guilt. Meanwhile, János gradually overcomes his fear and paranoia, only to realize his love for Kata when it's too late, as his actions have irreparably damaged their relationship.
Following the war's conclusion and the lifting of the siege, a car arrives for János, who departs with a promise to contact Kata soon. However, Kata finds herself in a predicament when she must prove her identity before a verification committee. Her original documents were destroyed during her time in hiding, and only János can attest to her true identity. Reluctantly, Kata returns to her husband while János appears at the verification center, calling for his "wife" among the assembled crowd.
Cast
*Ildikó Bánsági
Ildikó Bánsági (born 19 October 1947) is a Hungarian actress, ''Kossuth Prize'' and ''Jászai Mari Award'' winner, member of the ''Halhatatlanok Társulata'', full member of the ''Magyar Művészeti Akadémia''.
She has appeared in more tha ...
... Kata
*Péter Andorai
Péter Andorai (25 April 1948 – 1 February 2020) was a Hungarian actor. He appeared in more than 90 films since 1975. He starred in the 1980 film '' Bizalom'', which was entered into the 30th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won t ...
... János
* Oszkárné Gombik ... A néni
* Károly Csáki ... A bácsi
*Ildikó Kishonti
Ildikó Kishonti (26 April 1947 – 30 August 2009) was a Hungarian actress. She also appeared on television.
Filmography
References
External links
*
1947 births
2009 deaths
Hungarian actresses
{{Hungary-actor-stub ...
... Erzsi
* Lajos Balázsovits ... Kata férje
* Tamás Dunai ... Günther Hoffmann
*Zoltán Bezerédi
Zoltán Bezerédi (born 18 July 1955) is a Hungarian actor. He has appeared in 65 films and television shows since 1980. He starred in the 1985 film '' Elsö kétszáz évem'', which was entered into the 36th Berlin International Film Festival. ...
... Pali
* Éva Bartis
* Béla Éless (as Béla Éles)
* Danielle du Tombe ... Elza
* Gyula Gazdag ... Egy férfi
* Gyöngyi Dorogi
* László Littmann ... Dr. Czakó (as dr. Littmann László)
* Judit Halász ... János felesége
Accolades
See also
*
*
References
External links
*
1980 films
1980s war drama films
1980s Hungarian-language films
Films directed by István Szabó
Hungarian World War II films
Hungarian war drama films
1980 drama films
{{war-drama-film-stub